We unfortunately have not found a way to turn our kleptokratic dictatorship neighbor into one.

The greatest failure of the past 20 years was the belief that if we open up trade and grow rich together, rational self-interest will lead to liberalization and peace. Instead, it just gave our enemies more resources to spend on self-destructive imperialist ambitions.

Same story as always: the goal sounded nice, but no one wanted to do the actual work.